Hands-On With MasterCard Paypass Online, One Virtual Wallet for All of Your Cards

MasterCard is making it easier for you to make purchases from any web-enabled device with its newly announced Paypass Online. The service allows users to create a single virtual wallet for their credit and debit cards which they can they use to pay for items purchased online with just one click. MasterCard has also released an API for the service to developers for inclusion in their apps. Paypass Online will be accessible through participating websites via the standard checkout page.

We got to spend some hands-on time with a beta version of the service running on both a laptop and a Samsung Galaxy S II and we were impressed with how easy it was to use. When users first sign up for Paypass Online they enter each of the debit and credit cards they would like to associate with the account. The one caveat is that you'll need to make sure your bank supports Paypass Online in order for your card to work with the service. Next you enter any shipping addresses you want items shipped to.

Once you've set up your account, you go to any participating merchant site and click the pay with Paypass Online option. You'll then be asked if you want to use your default debit or credit card and shipping information. Click through and you're finished. Of course, you can also choose to pay with any other card and ship the item to any other address associated with your account.

The service is currently in beta, and MasterCard is already reaching out to partner merchants to integrate the Paypass Online with their websites. MasterCard is also providing an API for the service to app developers so users an use their Paypass Online accounts from within an app.

MasterCard also announced some changes to its NFC-powered Paypass service for smartphones. The feature will now include the same look and feel of the Paypass Online web service, including the ability to switch between multiple debit and credit cards while at the checkout. If you want to use your default card to make a payment at the register, you can just tap your NFC-enabled device on the Paypass console, enter your pin, and your finished. If you want to switch cards, however, you can open the Paypass app, choose the card you'd like to use and then proceed as usual.

According to MasterCard, Paypass terminals are now available at 441,000 merchants across the globe. And if their enthusiasm for the service is any indication, it will be coming to a retailer near you in the future.